SPORTS HEADLINES

BACK AT YOU – Decatur’s Cooper Martin and Darci Billmire go up for the block Tuesday against Whitesboro. Messenger photo by Joe Duty

The Decatur Lady Eagles made quick and easy work of the Whitesboro Lady Cats Tuesday at the Decatur Gymnasium. Decatur took the three-game sweep 25-14, 25-10, 25-16.

The Lady Eagles (7-2) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in game one, with the first of 16 kills by sophomore Cooper Martin. Decatur extended their lead to 9-4 before Whitesboro clawed back to within 10-7.

Martin and the Lady Eagles responded with a 10-4 run to widen the gap to 20-11 with another Martin kill.

“She [Martin] stepped up and did a good job,” Decatur volleyball coach Claire Rose said. “She’s learning to be smart about her attacking. She can put the ball away, but it’s not always about putting the ball away. It’s about finding the right spots.”

Martin had no problem finding the right spots Tuesday, helping Decatur roll through game two. The Lady Eagles flew out to a 20-7 lead and never looked back.

Complacency set in a little for Decatur early on in game three. Whitesboro took their only two leads of the night in the final game, but they would not last long. With the Lady Cats leading 4-3, Decatur’s Caroline Lowery landed a kill that tied the game and propelled the Lady Eagles on a 16-6 run.

Rose says the early part of game three is something the Lady Eagles are working on.

“We are not being efficient on our side,” Rose said. “We are allowing more errors and more miscommunications to happen. That comes with being young and not being familiar with one another on the floor. That will come as they play more together.”

Besides Martin, Makayla Mayfield led with seven kills. Darci Billmire had two blocks. Lowery added four aces, and Stormi Leonard finished with two. Lowery also led in digs with seven, and Mayfield had three. Stormi Leonard added 27 assists.

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